by Ken Alexander

Created on: May 15, 2008

INTERPRETING THE BIBLE

The first thing to learn about the Bible is that it is incapable of human interpretation. It is unique in that respect out of all other books written by men. John 1:1 makes that clear: "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things came into being through Him, and apart from Him nothing came into being that has come into being".

The Bible then is the Word of God. The Bible IS God. The operative Greek word is "Logos" meaning "The Word". Vine's Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words partially defines Logos as: "the phrase "The word of God" i.e. the revealed Word of God is used as a direct revelation of Christ (1 Thessalonians 4:15) of the gospel(citations) in this respect it is the message from the Lord, delivered with His authority and made effective by His powerThe personal word, a title of the Son of God is His distinct super-finite personalityHis relation to the Godhead, His creative power (Page 1241-1242).

So the Bible is the revealed Word of God, not its interpretation. It is literally God's power and authority going out from Him and "made effective". Christ was, is, and always has always been the Word of God. All things were created in and through Him. This is because every time God spoke i.e. "let there be" it was Christ the Word being spoken. It doesn't say that the Father was the word or the Holy Spirit was the word. They had different functions in the Godhead.

"And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we saw His glory, glory as of the only [literally unique, one of a kind] begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth" (John 1:14). Christ was the eternal, powerful, authoritative Word which revealed Himself and the Father.

The entire Bible speaks of Christ. "You search the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; it is these that testify about Me;" (John 5:39). The Pharisees to whom Jesus was speaking were the eminent Bible scholars of the day. They knew the Word to the point of some memorizing the entire book. They interpreted every "jot and tittle". Yet they opposed Christ who was the fulfillment of the Word. In other words, they knew the Word but they knew it without revelation from God. Otherwise, they would have recognized Jesus as who he was. Instead they hated and crucified Him.

"For the word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing as far as the division

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